Main opposition CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu’s attorney Celal Çelik has been sued for “insulting the President” over his plea of defense presented to court in the suit for damages filed by President and ruling AKP Chair Erdoğan against Kılıçdaroğlu.

Charged with “being a member of a terrorist organization”, journalist Barış Polat, a reporter for Mezopotamya Agency, has been sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison.

Storms and heavy rain have affected transportation in the city since yesterday.

Having resigned from the ruling AKP, former Deputy Prime Minister and a founding member of the party Ali Babacan has responded to President and AKP Chair Erdoğan’s reference to him as “always in favor of interest.”

Armenians in Turkey have begun Christmas celebrations after seven weeks of preparations.

Transgender woman activist Niler Albayrak has started working as a driver at the main opposition CHP’s District Municipality of Avcılar in İstanbul. Albayrak was also an MP candidate for nomination in 2015 general elections.

Evaluating the disciplinary punishment given to a teacher for halting work upon her union's call, Constitutional Court has found the application inadmissible as “the aim of the protest was not within the union’s core area of activity and had political purposes.”

While the government's move to replace HDP's mayors with trustees failed to receive support from the people of the region, it did not affect their political choices, the survey has found.

İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu has visited “23.5 Hrant Dink Site of Memory”. Accompanied by the wife and daughter of the late journalist, İmamoğlu has said, “A person who had a word for peace and wanted to contribute to peace has been massacred.”

Announcing its ruling on journalist Hayko Bağdat, who was fined for allegedly insulting former Ankara Mayor Gökçek, the Constitutional Court has ruled that the freedom of expression of the journalist has been violated.

HDP MP Sarısaç has asked the Minister of Education what is the legal basis for launching an investigation against two teachers for hugging each other.

Commenting on AKP’s Libya policy, Demirtaş has said, “Its foreign policy has been completely militarized. As they have lost their capacity and dignity to pursue a civilian foreign policy, they resort to operational policies through war, conflict and tension.”

Having convened to discuss the motion on military deployment to Libya, the General Assembly of the Parliament has passed the motion by a vote of 325 against 184.

The President has accused the western countries of applying "double standards" in matters such as refugees and "the struggle against terrorism."

Commenting on the recent crisis in private schools caused by economic hardships, Education and Science Laborers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen) Chair Aydoğan has called for an end to privatization in education and establishment of a right to public education.

The Constitutional Court has concluded that the lawsuit filed into a postoperative death caused by medical negligence and lack of medical services was rejected by the administrative court without conducting an investigation.

Minister Kurum has announced that five thermal plants have been completely and one thermal plant has been partially closed, adding that so long as they do not complete the necessary environmental investments, they cannot start operating again.

Behind bars for "organizing" the 2013 Gezi Park protests, businessperson Kavala was not released despite an ECtHR judgment.

In his new year message, President Erdoğan has stated, “We will, step by step, develop and, definitely, implement the Canal Istanbul Project, which will immensely contribute to our country in economic and strategic respects.”

The Governorship of Antep has announced that 48 areas near the Syrian border have been declared special security zones for a period of 15 days.